The International Association of Professional Numismatists (I.A.P.N.) held its 63rd General Assembly in Monte Carlo, May 29th-June 1st 2014 in the Principality of Monaco. A total of thirty eight of the world’s leading numismatic firms met to attend the congress, with an additional twenty one firms represented via proxy.

The I.A.P.N. meets annually to conduct its congress, which is held in a different city and country each year as voted on by its members. This year the congress was hosted by the firm Editions Victor Gadoury from the Principality of Monaco.

The I.A.P.N. would like to extend a special thank you to the organizers, the Pastrone family (Frederico and Giovanna) and the staff of Editions Victor Gadoury (Moira, Emanuele and Muriel) for a successful and well planned congress. This marks the third I.A.P.N. congress to be held in Monaco; the 12th general assembly was held there in 1963 and the 38th in 1989.

In his welcoming address, I.A.P.N. president Arne Kirsch discussed the city’s numismatic history and historical sites. The first coin he discussed in relation to Monaco was a denarius of the Roman Emperor Augustus struck in 15 B.C. at Lugdunum (current day Lyon, France), to commemorate the campaign over the Alps by Drusus and Tiberius. During this campaign the Romans conquered numerous local tribes, gaining control of the vital coastline. The Roman monument “Tropaeum Alpium” or Victory Monument of the Alps” was erected in 6 B.C. a few kilometres from Monaco in commemoration of this campaign. The first coinage types issued in the Principality of Monaco were produced during the reign of Honore II. A few types were issued during the Spanish protectorate in the early 1640s; these are quite rare today. Later Monaco was granted the concession to produce coinage by the King of France in 1643, and by 1648 the mint was fully functional, producing coinage on a regular basis. The principality of Monaco has a rich numismatic history associated with the study and collecting of coinage. In fact the standard reference “History of the Monies, Medals and Tokens of Monaco” by Raymond de Vos was based in part on the collection of His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III, now housed in the Musée des Timbres et des Monnaies.

The congress opening ceremonies were further graced by the presence of His Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, Prince Albert II. The prince was gracious in addressing the members of the organization, welcoming them to Monaco, after which food and beverages were served. President of the I.A.P.N. Arne Kirsch presented His Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of Monaco with the official medal of the organization featuring a portrait of famous numismatist and author and first I.A.P.N. president, Leonard Forrer. Quite possibly the medal will find its way into the royal collection housed in the Musée des Timbres et des Monnaies as a reminder of the 63rd annual numismatic congress which was held in Monaco.

A moment of silence was observed for three I.A.P.N. members who had recently passed. Former I.A.P.N president Paul Divo was among those remembered. He served as a member of the executive committee for more than 20 years, including as secretary and president. His name is well known among dealers and collectors for his impact on the community and for his many numismatic works.

His specialized works on the coinage of Greece and Liechtenstein as well as French medals remain standard references, as do his collaborations on Swiss and German coinage. Also remembered was Robert Schulman of the world famous Amsterdam numismatic firm of the same name. The Schulman family has a long tradition of numismatics dating back to the company’s founding in 1880. Robert served on the I.A.P.N. executive committee and was president of the organization from 1985-1991. The organization also lost former member, numismatist and coin dealer Romolo Vescovi. An all-around warm hearted person and good friend, Vescovi was largely responsible for the planning and organization of the 53rd annual congress held in Rabat, Morocco.

Among the many topics discussed at this year’s congress, were the recipients of this year’s book prize award. As usual, several excellent numismatic publications and references were submitted for consideration, 15 in total, all of which were voted on by the membership, some ranking very closely in the final outcome. As per I.A.P.N. tradition, after voting the submitted books are donated to an institution or library in the country in which the congress is being held. The I.A.P.N. would like to thank all of the contributing authors and recognize their hard work in publishing these excellent references.

Following is a list of the submitted works in order of first through third place with the remainder listed alphabetically.

THE BENTLEY COLLECTIONTHE ULTIMATE BRITISH SOVEREIGN COLLECTION SOLD BY AUCTION IN LONDON IN THREE PARTS 2012-2013 COMPLETE IN A LIMITED EDITION VOLUME.
BALDWIN’S 2013 ISBN 978-0-906919-25-8

Following the general assembly all books that were submitted for the book prize award were donated to the library of L’Association Numismatique de Monaco.

Among the topics discussed during the business sessions were the applications for new membership. Of the applications submitted, two new firms were voted in as new members of the I.A.P.N. The association is pleased to welcome its two newest members.

Each year the I.A.P.N. raises money for a charity in the city where that year’s congress is conducted. This year the association raised a total of 2200 Euros to be donated to Association Les enfants de Frankie. The association aids disadvantaged and sick children in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France. The organization has helped children in hospitals and orphanages since its founding in 1997. During the holiday season the association conducts an event called “The Christmas Frankie” where 4,000 children and their families are welcomed for a special day in Monte Carlo. The event includes a giant parade and Christmas with snacks and gifts for all. For more information on Association Les enfants de Frankie visit their website www.frankiemonaco.org.

The 64rd annual congress of the I.A.P.N. is scheduled to take place in 2015 in New Orleans Louisiana, hosted by the Mike Dunigan Company. Its 65th annual congress is scheduled for 2016 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, as proposed by the firm Schulman b.v.

The I.A.P.N. recently finished the first stages of development for its new website www.iapn-coins.org, which was launched just prior to the congress in Monaco. The site can be used in both official languages of the organization, French and English. The homepage features a newsfeed updated with the most recent I.A.P.N. press releases and news. It also features an auction calendar and a list I.A.P.N. firms that are conducting upcoming sales. The public face of the website includes a list of I.A.P.N. publications, past winners of the book prize, membership directory, stolen coin archives and general information regarding the organization. Members of the organization are granted access to the private side of the site, which features internal news and a searchable database of coin forgeries.

The IAPN is a non-profit organization founded in 1951 and comprising leading international numismatic firms. It was formed in the aftermath of World War II to help re-establish relationships amongst professional numismatists that had been badly frayed during years of conflict. The objectives of IAPN are the development of a healthy and prosperous numismatic trade conducted according to the highest standards of business ethics and commercial practice, the encouragement of scientific research and the propagation of numismatics, and the creation of lasting and friendly relations amongst professional numismatists around the world.
For more information regarding the I.A.P.N. please visit their website: www.iapn-coins.org

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